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NEW ENGLAND 



HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL 



SOCIETY 



Incorporated 1845 




SOCIETY'S BUILD 

18 Somerset St 




Stanbopc iprcss 

. GILSON COMPANY 
BOSTON, U.S.A. 



New England 
Historic Genealogical Society. 



HISTORY. 



The New England Historic Genealogical Society 
was formed in 1844, "for the purpose of collecting, 
preserving, and publishing genealogical and histor- 
ical matter relating to New England families, and 
for the establishment and maintenance of a cabinet." 

Few genealogical books were printed in America 
prior to the founding of the Society, Since its 
incorporation, almost every genealogical work of 
consequence in America is traceable, either directly 
or indirectly, to the influence of the Society, which 
is the most important genealogical society in 
America. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

The Society consists of Honorary, Corresponding, 
Life, and Resident Members. Resident Members 
pay five dollars on admission, and five dollars 
annually on the ist of January, and receive the 
New England Historical and Genealogical Register. 
Membership is not Hmited to residents of New 
England, and is open to women. 
3 



4 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Any member may become a Life Member and 
receive the Register, by the payment of fifty dollars 
at one time. Engraved certificates of membership 
are furnished if desired. Application for member- 
ship should be made through some Life or Resident 
Member. In order to increase the number of Life 
and Resident Members, blank forms for nomina- 
tions vdll be furnished upon application to the 
Corresponding Secretary. 

MEETINGS. 

Stated meetings of the Society are held at i8 
Somerset Street, Boston, on the first Wednesday 
of every month, except from June to September 
inclusive. At these meetings original papers and 
essays are read. 

NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND 
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 

The New England Historical and Genealogical 
Register is published by the Society quarterly in 
January, April, July, and October of each year. 

Each number contains ninety-six or more octavo 
pages of valuable and interesting matter concerning 
the History, Antiqmties, Genealogy, and Biography 
of .'America, vritha portrait of some deceased member. 

Commenced in 1847, it is the oldest historical 
and genealogical periodical now published in this 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 5 

country; and its contributors comprise a list of 
the most eminent and competent writers on gen- 
ealogy in New England, with many in other States 
and foreign countries. 

Terms, of Subscription, three ($3.00) dollars per 
annum, in advance, commencing January; free to 
Resident Members paying five ($5.00) dollars an- 
nually, and to Life Members who have paid fifty 
($50.00) dollars at one time into the Life Member- 
ship Fund. 

A full set of the magazine sells at more than 
double the original subscription cost. 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS. 

At the present time the Society is pubHshing: — 
I. The Vital Records (Births, Marriages, and 
Deaths) of Massachusetts towns, from the date of 
incorporation to the end of the year 1849. These 
are printed by a fund of $20,000 set apart from the 
bequest of Robert Henry Eddy to the Society, and 
are sold to members and others, if ordered in advance 
of pubh'cation, at the rate of one cent per printed 
page. Only a limited number of copies is printed. 
The type is then distributed, and the extra copies 
held on sale at a considerable advance on the sub- 
scription price. 

The Vital Records of Montgomery, Pelham, 
Walpole, Peru, Alford, Hinsdale, Medfield, Lee, 



6 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Becket, Sudbury, Tyringham, Bedford, New Brain- 
tree, Great Barrington, Washington, Gill, Arlington, 
Waltham, Chilmark, Bellingham, Palmer, Medway, 
Newton, Edgartown, Norton, Dalton, Sturbridge, 
Medford, Dracut, West Stockbridge, and Wil- 
liamstown have been printed by the Society, and 
those of Middlefield, Scituate, Heath, Billerica, 
Weymouth, Foxborough, Wayland, Pembroke, 
Holliston, Dover, Duxbury, Granville, Tisbury, 
Carver, Brookline Hingham, Hopkinton, Town- 
send, Taunton, Lincoln, Worthington, Hanson, 
Stow, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, West Bridge- 
water, Chester, Richmond, West Springfield, Brock- 
ion, and Nantucket are in course of preparation. 

An effort is being made by the Society to induce 
the other New England States to print their early 
records of births, marriages, and deaths. 

2. Proceedings of the Annual Meetings, contain- 
ing obituary notices of deceased members; distrib- 
uted free to members of the Society and to all 
donors to the Library. 

3. Biographies of deceased members, prepared 
by the Society's Historian, and printed by the 
Towne Memorial Fund. 

4. A Consolidated Index of persons and places 
in the first fifty volumes of the New England Histor- 
ical and Genealogical Register, in process of pub- 
lication. Two volumes are completed. 

5. Walors's "Genealogical Gleanings in Eng- 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 7 

land," the result of nearly twenty years' work, and 
costing nearly $30,000, in two volumes. 

6. Abstracts of Wills from the Prerogative Court 
of Canterbury, at Somerset House, London. Regis- 
ter Soame, containing the wills of the year 1620, has 
over 600 pages, with about 40,000 names of persons 
and 10,000 of places. The price is $6.00 per volume . 
To carry on English research successfully, the 
Society should have a special fund of $15,000, dona- 
tions to which are solicited. 

The Society has undertaken to copy and arrange 
systematically all records of births, marriages, and 
deaths, from court files, early New England news- 
papers, church records, clergymen's and sextons' 
private records, gravestone inscriptions, and family 
Bibles; but to do this work, special donations amount- 
ing to at least $10,000 are needed. Some of these 
records should be printed. 

Stationery of a uniform character will be furnished 
free by the Librarian to members and others who will 
undertake any copying for the Society. 

The Society has taken steps to encourage the 
printing of indexes to all wills, deeds, and court 
files, and of the proprietors' records and town pro- 
ceedings of New England towns. 

LIBRARY. 

The Library of the Society is open daily (Sundays 
and holidays excepted), from g a.m. to 5.30 p.m., 



8 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 

and is free to all. It contains many thousands of 
volumes, pamphlets, and manuscripts relating to 
New England families and localities. The Library 
is consulted by from fifty to one hundred persons 
daily, many of whom come from distant places for 
this purpose, and assistance in the selection of books 
is cheerfully given by attendants. Members are 
allowed to consult books at the shelves. 

Donations of cash for current expenses, and of 
genealogical books, are thankfully received. Recent 
genealogical publications presented to the Library 
are noticed in the Register. 

BUILDING. 

The Society has been heavily taxed during recent 
years by the rapid and constant increase of interest 
in history and genealogy, and its building is no 
longer adequate for the proper use and display 
of its library and its cabinet of Colonial and Rev- 
olutionary relics, nor has it sufficient permanent 
funds for the maintenance of its Library and the 
prosecution of its work. If a new building is to be 
erected, at least $150,000 in donations will be re- 
quired. 

Any of the executive ofiicers will be glad to advise 
persons intending to give or bequeath money to the 
Society. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 



AIDS TO GENEALOGICAL 
BEGINNERS. 

Beginners should first gather all available infor- 
mation from older relatives and from family papers. 
After consulting published books, one should search 
the wills and administrations of estates in the Pro- 
bate records, and should trace the property of per- 
sons under consideration in the Registry of Deeds. 
The Records and Files of the County Courts should 
also be examined. Town Records of Births, Mar- 
riages, and Deaths, Church books of Baptisms and 
Marriages, and the Cemeteries should be consulted. 
Records of military service have been published 
by the various States. The following books of 
reference will be found useful in beginning genea- 
logical research : — 

Munsell's "Genealogical Index." 
Savage's "Genealogical Dictionary." 
Pope's "Pioneers of Massachusetts." 
Hotten's "Lists of Early Passengers." 
GrifSn's "Index to Local History." 
"New England Historical and Genealogical Regis- 
ter," 60 volumes. 

"Essex Institute Collections." 
The Society does not undertake research work; 
but will, upon request, give the names of compe- 
tent professional genealogists. 



lO 



NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 



PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY 
FOR SALE. 

New England Historical and Genealogical 

Register. Prices given on application. 

Memorial Biographies of ) single volume . $2.50 

Members, 6 volumes ^ set 1 2 . 00 

Rolls of Membership 50 

Waters's Genealogical Gleanings in England, 

2 volumes, set 10.00 

Abstracts of Prerogative Court of Canterbury 

Wills, Register 5oawe, 1620 6.00 

Vital Records : — 



Montgomery 

Pelham 

Walpole 

Peru 

Alford 

Hinsdale 

Medfield 

Lee 

Becket 

Sudbury 

Tyringham 

Bedford 

New Braintree 

Washington 

Great Barrington 

Gill 



00 Arlington $2.25 

25 Waltham 3.75 

75 Chilmark 1.25 

50 Bellingham 2 . 75 

50 Palmer 3- 00 

25 Med way 4-5° 

25 Newton 6.50 

00 Edgartown 3-5° 

25 Norton 5 . 25 

25 Dalton 1.25 

50 Sturbridge 5.00 

75 Medford 6.00 

25 Dracut 4.00 

75 West Stockbridgc 1 . 50 

25 Williamstown 2.25 

25 And others as published 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY II 

OFFICERS. 

The officers of the Society are a President, a 
Vice-President for each of the New England States, 
a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, 
a Treasurer, and a Librarian. 

The Council of fifteen members consists of the 
President, Vice-President for Massachusetts, the 
two Secretaries, the Treasurer, and the Librarian, 
and nine elective members, three of whom are 
elected annuall}' for a term of three years. There 
are also an Historian, an Editor of Publications, 
and a number of standing Committees, appointed 
annually by the Council. 

OFFICERS FOR 1907. 
President. 

Hon. James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D. Portland, Me. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M., Litt.D. . . . Boston. 

William Davis Patterson Wiscasset, Me. 

Jonathan Eastman Pecker, B.S Concord, N.H. 

Hon. William Wallace Stickney, LL.D. . . Ludlow, Vt. 

George Corlis Nightingale Providence, R.I. 

James Junius Goodwin Hartford, Conn. 

Recording Secretary. 

George Augustus Gordon, A.M Somerville . 



12 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 

Corresponding Secretary. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. , . . Manchester. 

Treasurer. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

Librarian. 

William Prescott Greenlaw Sudbury. 

The Council. 

Ex-Officiis. 

Hon. James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt J). 
Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M., Litt.D. 
George Augustus Gordon, A.M. 
Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. 
Francis Apthorp Foster. 
William Prescott Greenlaw. 

Fo7- TQoy. 

Mary Alice Ke.\ch Providence, R.I. 

Frederick Lewis Gay, A.B Brookline. 

Charles Knowles Bolton, A.B Shirley. 

For iQoy, igo8. 

Helen Frances Kimball Brookhne. 

George Winslow Wiggin Franklin. 

Myles Standish, A.m., M.D Boston. 

For igoy, igo8, igog. 

Albert Alonzo Folsom Brookline. 

Waldo Lincoin, A.B Worcester. 

Mrs. Ida Louise Farr Miller Wakefield. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 1 3 

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES FOR 1907. 



Appointed by the Council. 



Historian. 
William Richard Cutter, A.M Woburn 

Editor of Publications. 

Henry Ernest Woods, A.M Boston. 

Committee on Finance. 

James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D., 

Chairman Portland, Me. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . , . Manchester. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

Waldo Lincoln, A.B Worcester. 

Charles Knowles Bolton, A.B Shirley. 

Committee on Real Estate. 

James Phinney Baxter, A.M., Litt.D., 

Chairman Portland, Me. 

Nathaniel Johnson Rust Boston. 

EDMU?fD Dana Barbour •. Boston. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . . . Manchester. 
Thomas Hills Boston. 

Committee on the Library, 

George Brown Knapp, A.M., Chairman Boston. 

Helen Frances Kimball Brookline. 

Myles Standish, A.m., M.D Boston. 

Joseph Gardner Bartlett Boston. 

William Prescott Greenlaw, ex-officio .... Sudbury. 



14 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 



Committee on Publication. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M., Litt.D. 

Chairman Boston. 

Don Gleason Hill, A.M Dedham 

Charles Knowles Bolton, A.B Shirley. 

Francis Everett Blake Boston. 

Edmunt) Dana Barbour Boston 

Committee on Papers and Essays. 

Albert Alonzo Folsom, Ch-airman Brookline 

David Henry Brown, A.B Medford 

William Carver Bates Newton. 

Frederick Lewis Gay, A.B Brookline 

Mary Ella Stickney Waltham. 

Committee to Assist the Historian. 

Andrew Fiske, Ph.D., Chairman Weston. 

Rev. Silvanus Hayward, D.D Southbridge. 

Rev. Anson Titus Somerville. 

Ernest Lewis Gay, A.B Brookline. 

Edward Chauncey Booth, A.B., M.D Somerville. 

Wilforo Jacob Litchfield, M.S Southbridge. 

Arthur Wendell Burnham Newton. 

Committee on English Research. 

Charles Sherburne Penh.^llow, A.B., 

Chairman Boston. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

Joseph Gardner Bartlett Boston. 

Jerome Carter Hosmer Boston. 

William Eben Stone, A.B Cambridge. 

Committee on Heraldry. 

Henry Ernest Woods, A.M., Chairman Boston. 

Francis Apthorp Foster Falmouth. 

Boylbton Adams Beal, A.B., LL.B Nahant. 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY I 5 

Committee on Epitaphs. 

John Albree, Chairman Swampscott. 

Charles Sidney Ensign, LL.B Newton. 

John Bliss Brainerd, M.D Brookline. 

Mrs. Nellie Chamberlain Pray Boston. 

RuFUS George Frederick Candage Brookline. 

Charles French Read Brookline. 

George Walter Chamberlain, M.S Weymouth. 

Committee on Collection of Records. 
John Bliss Brainerd, M.D., Chairman .... Brookline. 

Arthur Greene Loring Woburn. 

Albert M.atthews, A.B Boston. 

Mrs. Ida Louise Farr Miller Wakefield. 

Mrs. Ethel Stanwood Bolton, B.A Shirlej'. 

William Lincoln Palmer Cambridge. 

William Prescott Greenlaw, ex-ojpcio .... Sudbury. 

Committee on Consolidated Index. 

Francis Apthorp Foster, Chairman Falmouth. 

William Prescott Greenlaw . ". Sudbury. 

Nathaniel Gushing Nash, A.M Cambridge. 

Committee on Sale of Publications. 

Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast, A.M., Litt.D. 

Chairman Boston. 

Henry Ernest Woods, A.M Boston. 

Henry Winchester Cunningham, A.B. . . . Manchester. 

George Augustus Gordon, A.M Somerville. 

William Prescott Greenlaw Sudbury. 

Committee to Increase Membership. 

George Sumner Mann, Chairman Brookline. 

Charles Knowles Bolton, A.B Shirley. 

Albert Alonzo Folsom Brookline. 

Frank Ernest Woodward Maiden. 

Helen Frances Kimball BrookUne. 



1 6 NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC 



FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE SOCIETY. 

The attention of all persons interested in historical 

and genealogical research is called to the following 

estimate of the financial needs of the Society; 

For a new five-story fire-proof 
Library building, with a hall 
to seat 300 persons, stack room 
for 250,000 books, and a read- 
ing room for 80 readers (tenta- 
tive plans can now be seen at 
the Society's rooms, and sug- 
gestions are invited) $60,000 

Library fixtures, furniture, etc. 30,000 

Land, 5,000 square feet, pur- 
chased, but not yet paid for 30,000 Si 20,000 

For addition to permanent fund, 
for purchase and binding of 
books, and increased expenses 
for care of a new building 
(calHng for $3,000 additional 
income per annum) 75>°^° 

For copying records of births, 
marriages, and deaths from 
court files, church records, 
clergymen's and undertakers' 
private records, graveyard in- 
scriptions and family Bibles 10,000 



GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY I 7 

For preparing and printing a 

catalogue of the 65,000 books 

and pamphlets belonging to 

the Society $8,000 

For Alphabetical Abstracts or 

Digest of personal items in the 

Boston News-Letter and other 

New England newspapers, 

from 1704 to 18 1 5, estimated 

to be equal to 8,000 printed 

pages 6,000 

For Genealogical research in 

England, a permanent fund 15,000 

For estimated loss in printing 

Vital Records to 1850 of Mas- 
sachusetts towns 5,000 

The Treasurer, Francis Apthorp Foster, 18 
Somerset Street, Boston, and all other oflScers of the 
Society, will be glad to advise persons intending 
to give or bequeath money to the Society. 



FORM FOR A BEQUEST. 

I give, devise, and bequeath to the New England Historic 
Genealogical Society, a corporation duly incorporated by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and located in the City of 

Boston in said Commonwealth, the sum of 

dollars for the general purposes of said Society. 

(// it is the devisor^s intention that the sum bequeathed shall 
be devoted to any particular object, it should be clearly and defi- 
nitely stated.) 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



013 995 005 7 # 




